Atmel celebrates first-ever White House Maker Faire

Atmel Corporation, a global leader in microcontroller (MCU) and touch solutions, calls the first-ever White House Maker Faire a success. With a goal of making technology simple, accessible and easy to use, Atmel is an ardent supporter of the Maker Movement and shares the passion for tomorrow’s innovators, visionaries and manufacturers.

From powering 3D printers to Arduino boards, Atmel’s 8 and 32-bit microcontrollers enable makers to create an extensive range of projects, further strengthening the DIY experience and government funded initiatives such as STEM, (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math).

“The Maker Movement is the next great revolution of industry and embodies the American Spirit,” said Sander Arts, vice president of marketing at Atmel.

“We congratulate the White House for putting on such a great event and appreciate its recognition and advocacy for the Maker Movement. Whether a hobbyist or an engineer, the power of this community is inspiring and Atmel is honored to be at its heart, providing the technologies that empower makers of all ages to turn imagination into reality.”

As seen at Atmel’s booth during Maker Faire Bay Area 2014, Atmel attended the White House Maker Faire joined by key makers who showcased their technologies including Quin Etnyre, age 13, CEO of QTechknow and Sylvia Todd, age 12, from Super Awesome Sylvia.

Additionally, Arduino, the popular open source platform and community for prototyping, was represented at the White House Maker Faire. Leveraging Atmel’s technology in a series of development boards, communities such as Arduino aim to enable open source collaboration, foster creativity and promote tinkering.

Follow the whereabouts of Atmel, Quin and Sylvia online and join the conversation with @Atmel and @TheAVRMan using the hashtag #NationofMakers.

For questions about the event and Atmel’s participation at White House Maker Faire, please email events@atmel.com.

More Information

Atmel at White House Maker Faire 2014: http://www.atmel.com/atmel-makes/default.aspx
About Maker Faire: http://makerfaire.com/
Embedded Design Blog: www.atmelcorporation.wordpress.com
Atmel Twitter: www.atmel.com/twitter
Atmel AVR Man: https://twitter.com/TheAVRMan
LinkedIn: www.atmel.com/linkedin

Atmel celebrates Makers with President Obama

As Tom Kalil and Jason Miller note on the White House blog, the United States has always been a nation of tinkerers, inventors and entrepreneurs.

“In recent years, a growing number of Americans have gained access to technologies such as 3D printers, laser cutters, easy-to-use design software and desktop machine tools. These tools are enabling more Americans to design and build almost anything,” Kalil and Miller write.

“Across the country, vibrant grassroots communities of innovators, visionaries and manufacturers are organizing Maker Faires, creating local Makerspaces and mentoring the next generation of inventors.”

According to the White House, the rise of the Maker Movement represents a huge opportunity for the United States, with new tools for democratized production boosting innovation and entrepreneurship in manufacturing.

Indeed, Making is capable of inspiring and empowering more young people to excel in design and STEM (science, technology, engineering and math), as well as helping them pursue careers in manufacturing.

That’s why President Obama is hosting the first-ever White House Maker Faire today, with Makers, innovators and entrepreneurs of all ages showcasing their cutting-edge tools and projects.
 We at Atmel are proud to be at the very heart of the global Maker Movement, with Quin Etnyre and Super Awesome Sylvia (both sponsored by Atmel) attending the DC Faire.

Indeed, our microcontrollers (MCUs) power a wide range of open source platforms and devices, from 3D printers to wildly popular Arduino boards.

For us, every Maker Faire has always been the Greatest Show (and Tell) on Earth – a family-friendly venue of invention, creativity, resourcefulness and a celebration of DIY culture. Simply put, it’s a place where people of all ages and backgrounds gather together to show what they are making and share what they are learning, whether in Washington DC, New York, San Mateo or Shanghai.

Working together, we can prove that in America, the future really is what we make of it.

Tom Kalil is Deputy Director for Technology and Innovation at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and Jason Miller is Special Assistant to the President for Manufacturing Policy at the National Economic Council.

Super Awesome Sylvia is at the White House!

Sylvia Todd – aka Super Awesome Sylvia – has been creating and making things since she was five. Sylvia, who learned how to solder when she was 7, also hosts her very own MAKE YouTube show.

Today, Bits & Pieces had the opportunity to interview the young Maker about DIY culture and Making at the very first White House Maker Faire – which Atmel is proudly attending.

Atmel: Who, or what inspired you to become a Maker?

Sylvia: I was inspired to be a Maker/make things when I went to the very first San Mateo Maker Faire in 2006 when I was 5. That event and the ones after it showed me that making is fun, interesting, and [helps] you learn lots of new skills. After that weekend, I wanted to solder and build and take apart things even more!

Atmel: How do you feel about being chosen to attend the very first Maker Faire at the White House?

Sylvia: I am so happy and honored that I was invited to attend the White House Maker Faire. It is pretty amazing that after being inspired by the Maker Movement to create my show back in 2009, I eventually became one of the people that helped others get into Making!



Atmel: How do you think the Maker Movement democratizes the tools and skills necessary to design and create just about anything?

Sylvia: I think the Maker Movement helps give us the knowledge resources to create lots of stuff, through sharing! The internet allows us to find and share projects, sell projects, and even show others how to make things. Sharing how to’s and project details really can inspire people to get out there and make something, even if it’s not exactly what they’re trying to make, it helps them learn by doing.

Atmel: What projects of yours are powered by Atmel-powered Arduino boards or stand-alone MCUs?

Sylvia: 

I have a book coming out next moth that shows three super simple Arduino projects for beginners, all using the Arduino Uno as the base. I am also going to use the Arduino in many other projects and might soon design a custom circuit board around the ATmega328 MCU for a kit. One of my older projects was an Arduino and GPS powered RC car that could navigate around my house, and one of my latest ideas is a sensor that senses when the mail truck comes and tells me by switching on a servo to ring a bell.

Atmel: How do you think the Maker Movement and DIY culture make the world a better place?

Sylvia: I think the Maker Movement will change the world because when you have lots of people thinking of new ideas or inventions and sharing their work and results, we could solve really big issues faster! Also when kids grow up in an environment of making, they’ll be more willing to fix or reuse things instead of just throwing them away, and they’ll be making themselves smarter about the world at the same time. Making stuff rocks!

Quin Etnyre talks Makers at the White House

At 13 years of age, Quin Etnyre is already an accomplished Maker and teacher working to change the world – one Atmel powered Arduino board at a time.

Today, Bits & Pieces had the opportunity to interview the young Maker about America’s burgeoning DIY culture on the sidelines of the very first White House Maker Faire.

Atmel: Who, or what inspired you to become a Maker?

Quin: I was inspired by LEGO. Every day I would build a kit. To be a Maker, you have to think outside of the box, and come up with new ideas on your own. Later on, I started ‘hacking’ LEGO, and making my own versions of kits that worked just as good, maybe even better. This concept led to me hacking other electronics and mechanical objects around the house, which made me a Maker.

Atmel: How do you feel about being chosen to attend the very first Maker Faire at the White House?

Quin: It is awesome!!! I can’t believe that last year I started to show my projects at Maker Faire, and just the next year I am picked to go to the White House, and show the President what I’m making! It is super fun to show people what I make, and teach them how they can learn how to make projects, too!

Atmel: How do you think the Maker Movement democratizes the tools and skills necessary to design and create just about anything?

Quin: It allows more and more people the knowledge they need for free (open source), allows them to modify projects – and contribute to to the community in the end. Many people can learn, and many people can teach.

Atmel: What projects of yours are powered by Atmel-powered Arduino boards or stand-alone MCUs?

Quin: All of my projects with a microprocessor are Atmel-powered! Many of them are based on Arduino boards, like the FuzzBot, Gas Cap, and TFT LCD screen Instructables, and the Quasi-duino Arduino clone (also on Instructables!) uses the ATmega328 MCU with the bare minimum components needed to function as an extra small Arduino. [Since it] uses [a minimal number of] components on the breadboard, I even had to rewrite the Arduino core for it!

Atmel: How do you think the Maker Movement and DIY culture make the world a better place?

Quin: The average child or adult will be much smarter! They will have even more access to the digital tools and DIY machinery necessary to build complex projects with ease. Every open source product made will enable an average citizen to learn more and become ore knowledgeable, whether it is building space engines, or making light-up cupcakes.

White House to host upcoming Maker Faire

The Obama Administration has announced that the White House will be hosting its very first Maker Faire later this year.

According to administration officials Tom Kalil and Jason Miller, the event will be an opportunity to highlight both the remarkable stories of Makers and commitments by leading organizations to help more students and entrepreneurs get involved in making things.

“By democratizing the tools and skills necessary to design and make just about anything, Maker Faires and similar events can inspire more people to become entrepreneurs and to pursue careers in design, advanced manufacturing, and the related fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM),” Kalil and Miller explained in an official White House blog post.

“The Administration is already partnering with companies, non-profits, and communities to make the most of this emerging movement. The Defense Advanced Projects Agency, or DARPA, collaborated with the Veteran’s Administration to support the creation of a TechShop in Pittsburgh, where members can access cutting-edge tools for making, and provided memberships for thousands of veterans.”

Meanwhile, with funding from the Department of Labor, the AFL-CIO and Carnegie Mellon University are partnering with TechShop Pittsburgh to create an apprenticeship program for 21st-century manufacturing and encourage startups to manufacture domestically. 

Similarly, with support from Americorps and leading companies and foundations, the Maker Education Initiative is working with schools and youth-serving organizations to provide students with access to Making.

“Later this year, the Administration will launch an all-hands-on-deck effort to provide even more students and entrepreneurs access to the tools, spaces, and mentors needed to Make,” Kalil and Miller continued. 

”There are many ways in which, in addition to the contributions of thousands of individual Makers, companies, universities, mayors and communities, and foundations, and philanthropists can get involved… Working together, we can prove that in America, the future really is what we make of it.”

Interested in learning more? You can get involved in President Obama’s initiative by sending pictures or videos of your creations or a description of how you are working to advance the Maker Movement to maker@ostp.gov, or on Twitter using the hashtag #IMadeThis.